Welcome to the Family
by jilldavis1
Summary: The Kents take in Martha's sister's child, a 9 year old girl. Set around the second season.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. They are the property of the writers, creators, and producers of the Smallville television series. **

**Story Note: Jonathan and Martha Kent have taken in Martha's sister's child. Martha's sister and her husband died in a car accident soon after Jessie was born and the 9 year old girl has been raised by her paternal grandmother. It's sometime during the second season and Clark is in the 10th grade.**

It's breakfast time at the Kent Farm. Jonathan and Clark are sitting at the dining room table as Martha is bringing in food. Jessie comes down the stairs slowly.

"Hi, Sweetheart. Perfect timing. Breakfast is ready. You can sit here." She pulls out a chair across from Clark and Jessie sits down.

Clarks smiles across the table at her. "So. How was your first night on the farm?"

Jessie frowns back at him. "I kept hearing this weird noise, like something was dying."

Clark laughed. "That's just the cows."

"And I certainly hope they aren't dying," Jonathan added with a smile.

Martha brought in the last of the food and sat down. "After breakfast I though we'd go into town and get you registered for school. Then maybe we'll do a little shopping. How does that sound?"

Jessie made a face. "I could lose the school part, but shopping sounds okay."

"What grade are you in?" Clark asked her.

"Fifth."

Martha looked confused. "But you're only nine."

"I skipped second grade," she clarified.

"You must be really smart," Martha observed.

Jessie shrugged. "Or maybe everybody else was just really dumb."

Not knowing how to respond, Martha changed the subject. "How do you like your room? If there's anything you want to change, it's okay."

Jessie shook her head. "No. It's great. I like it. Really."

Clark chugged the rest of his juice and stood up. "Gotta go. I'm late. I was supposed to meet up with Pete before school."

He kissed his mother and hurried towards the back door. "Bye, Jessie."

"Bye," she called back.

That afternoon Jessie was waiting on the porch when Clark came home from school.

"How'd it go today?" he asked her pleasantly.

"Fine, I guess. The school was lame but shopping was even lamer. I can't believe you don't have a single video game store."

"People around here don't have a lot of time for video games, I guess. Who's your teacher?"

"Some old lady. I forgot her name."

Clark dropped his book bag on the porch and thought for a moment. "Let's see. Fifth grade would either be Mrs. Foust or Mrs. Bremmer."

"Bremmer," Jessie confirmed.

"She's nice," Clark said. "One time I forgot my homework and she was totally cool about it. She just told me to bring it the next day."

"So, you're telling me it's okay not to do my homework?" Jessie asked with a twinkle in her eye.

"Hey. That's not what I said and you know it."

"Relax. I'm kidding," Jessie said as Clark was turning a little red.

Clark and Jessie turned to look as a large truck pulled into the driveway.

"Looks like your stuff's here," Clark said.

"Finally. I was beginning to think I was going to die of terminal boredom before it showed up.

"Kent?" asked the driver as he stepped out of the truck.

"That's us," Clark confirmed.

"That's you," Jessie corrected.

"Sign here," said the man as he pushed a clipboard at Clark.

"Where do you want it?" asked the man getting out of the passenger seat.

"Upstairs. Second door on the right," Clark told him as he handed back the clipboard.

For the next 45 minutes the two moving men plus Clark carried box after box up to Jessie's room. When they were finished and the truck had gone, Clark and Martha spent the rest of the afternoon helping Jessie put things away. Everything but the electronics.

"Jessie, I'm not sure you're going to be able to keep all of this in your room," Martha said vaguely.

"All of what?" Jessie asked.

"Well, the TV and DVD player for example."

"Why?"

Martha and Clark exchanged looks.

"Your Uncle Jonathan and I don't really think it's such a good idea for a child to have a television set in their room."

"That's dumb," Jessie said.

Clark looked up sharply and waited for his mother to scold her for being rude, but Martha simply said, "Well talk more about it tonight."

"What about my stereo?" Jessie asked.

"I think the stereo is fine," she answered.

"You've got enough DVDs and CDs here to open a store," Clark noted.

"You can borrow them anytime you want," Jessie offered.

Clark reached out and ruffled her hair. "I don't have a whole lot of down time, but I'll keep it in mind. Thanks, Squirt."

Clark glanced out the window and saw his father's truck coming pulling in. "Dad's back. I'll go give him a hand with the grain sacks."

"Thanks for your help here, Clark," Martha said.

"Yeah. Thanks," Jessie added.

That night after dinner Martha and Jonathan discussed what to do about the many things that had arrived for Jessie that day. It was decided that she could keep the television in her room but that she had to ask permission to turn it on. She was allowed to watch one hour of television a day, two on weekends. She could use the time for video games, DVDs, or TV shows. It was her choice as long as the total time did not exceed the time allowed. And she was only allowed to watch it after her homework and chores were done.

Chores were another topic of conversation that evening. It was explained to Jessie that on a farm everyone had to do their share. Her share would consist of taking care of the chickens, weeding the garden, helping with meals and cleanup, and keeping her room clean.

As the house rules were being explained to her, Jessie said nothing, but inside she was fuming. If they thought they were going to push her around and tell her what she could and couldn't do they were nuts. Jonathan asked Clark to show her what to do with the chickens and garden after school the next day.

"You could give her a ride home from school," Martha suggested. "It's her first day," she added when Clark hesitated.

"Okay. I'll pick you up out front at 3:00."

The next day Clark was in front of the school as promised. On the way home he took Jessie by the Talon and introduced her to Lana, Pete, and Chloe. They all made an effort to make her feel welcome and she took an instant liking to Chloe, especially.

As they were leaving, they met Lex coming in.

"Hey, Clark. Who's the little woman?" he quipped.

"This is my cousin Jessie. She's going to be living with us now. Jessie, this is my friend Lex."

Lex smiled and offered his hand. "Well, it's easy to see who got all the looks in this family. Nice to meet you, Jessie."

Jessie smiled and shook hands with Lex.

"Clark, you'll have to bring her by the mansion. I'm sure we can find something interesting for her to do there."

Jessie's eyes got wide. "You live in a mansion?" she asked him.

"Yep," he confirmed.

"It's not haunted or anything is it?" she asked cautiously.

Lex leaned down and whispered in her ear, "Come by some dark stormy night and let's find out."

Not sure whether he was serious or not, Jessie raised one eyebrow and looked at Clark, who shrugged noncommittally.

Clark opened the truck door for her. "Come on. We'd better get home and get started on our chores."

"Sure thing, John-Boy," Jessie said as she climbed into the truck, shaking her head. "I can't believe this is my actual life now."

When they got to the farm, Martha was waiting on the porch to hear all about her first day. She told her that she didn't have any homework since it was her first day. Martha went inside to start dinner and Clark carefully explained to Jessie how to take care of the chickens. He also showed her how to weed the garden. Jessie only half listened as she had no intention of doing either.

Clark left her to get started. As soon as he was out of site, Jessie went to the screen door and peeked inside. Martha was in the kitchen. Jessie crept around to the front door and eased it open. She quietly walked up the front steps to her room. Piece of cake. She had been playing her video game for about 45 minutes when there was a knock on her door.

"Jessie?" It was Uncle Jonathan. Crap.

She turned off the TV and quickly grabbed a book from her shelf. "Come in," she called in her sweetest voice.

Jonathan opened the door and stepped inside. "Nice try," he said as he felt the TV.

"Would you mind explaining to me why you aren't outside weeding the garden?"

Jessie said nothing.

"Or maybe you can explain why you're watching television without permission."

Jessie still said nothing.

"Jessie, I'm going to make this real simple for you. The next time you break the rule about this TV it's coming out of your room.

Jessie suddenly found her voice. "You can't do that! It's mine!"

"And it will still be yours. You can visit it in its box in the barn."

"That's not fair!" Jessie shouted.

Jonathan was surprised at her outburst. "Don't raise your voice to me, young lady. Now, if you don't want it taken away, I suggest you follow the rules. Understood?"

Jessie sat down on her bed and crossed her arms.

Jonathan tried again. "Is that understood?"

"Yeah."

Jonathan decided he might as well make all of his expectations clear at once. "Make that Yes, Sir, please."

"Yes, sir," Jessie parroted through clenched teeth.

"Thank you. Now you get outside and take care of your responsibilities. When you finish out there you can come in and help your Aunt Martha with dinner."

"Oh, goody," Jessie said sarcastically.

He opened the door and waited for her to leave. Grudgingly, she did. She stomped down the stairs and slammed the screen door on her way out.

As he passed through the kitchen, Jonathan gave his wife a doubtful glance. "I think maybe I'm getting too old for this."

The next week passed in pretty much the same way. School, homework, chores, and dinner. Once or twice she managed to get her chores done to satisfaction and was allowed some TV time. She and Clark spent Saturday night playing her video game. She beat him, but she had the distinct impression that he let her win.

On Sunday afternoon, she and Clark were outside playing a game HORSE. He always spotted her HORS but he still usually won. As they were playing, a car pulled up. It was her teacher, Mrs. Bremmer. Double crap.

"Hello, Jessie. Clark."

"Mrs. Bremmer. Hi," Clark greeted her as she got out of her car. "What brings you out here?"

She glanced in Jessie's direction. "I was hoping to talk to your parents. Are they home?"

"Sure. They're right inside. Would you like me to call them?" Clark offered.

"Don't bother. I'll just ring the bell. Good to see you Clark."

"Yeah, you, too."

When she was out of earshot, Clark leaned down to Jessie. "What'd you do?"

Jessie stared after her teacher. "I have a feeling it's more about what I didn't do."

"Homework?" Clark guessed.

"Among other things," Jessie said cryptically.

When Mrs. Bremmer left, Jessie's presence was requested in the house. As it turns out, in addition to not doing her homework, Jessie had ignored most of the other classroom rules.

She had been reprimanded three times this week for talking back to her teacher, twice for being disruptive in the hallway, once for throwing food in the lunchroom, and four times for leaving the classroom without permission. Needless to say, Jonathan was livid.

"This is not acceptable, young lady," he informed her.

"Jessie, how could you get in so much trouble in just a week?" Martha asked.

"I'm gifted?" Jessie suggested.

"This is not funny, Jessica!" Jonathan yelled.

"Jonathan." Martha cautioned.

"Jessica, go to your room. Your Aunt Martha and I need to talk about this."

Jessica gladly left them to do so. After a few minutes, Clark tapped on her door and stuck his head in.

"What'd they say?" he asked.

"They're discussing it," she told him.

"Oooo. That can't be good."

"I don't care. What's the worst they can do?"

"You really don't want to go there."

"Why not? What'd they used to do to you?" she asked.

Clark flopped down on the bed and thought it over. "Well, it depends on what I did wrong. Sometimes I got grounded. Sometimes I had to do extra chores. Once they made me miss this really awesome Monster Truck show I was supposed to go to with Pete."

"What do you think they'll do to me?"

"Hard to say."

"What should I do?" she asked him.

"My advice? Go downstairs and start apologizing your butt off before they come up here to you. Tell them you realize what you did was wrong and that you won't do it anymore. Then throw yourself on their mercy."

"You think it'll work?"

"I think it's your best shot."

Jessie took Clark's advice and, much to her relief, it did indeed work. She was grounded for two weeks, which didn't really bother her since she didn't know anybody around here anyway. All in all, she got off extremely easy. There was, of course, the emphatic, BUT THIS HAD BETTER NOT HAPPEN AGAIN as she was dismissed.

Dinnertime had become something of a challenge. Jessie was not very big for her age and Martha worried that she was not eating properly. She bent over backwards to cook things she thought Jessie would like but more often than not Jessie left her plate more or less full at the end of the meal. One night, the dinnertime drama finally came to a head.

"Jessie, you'd better finish up there," Jonathan said as he noticed her still full plate.

Jessie scrunched her nose. "I don't like it."

Jonathan took a deep breath and looked at her evenly. "Sweetheart, this is getting to be habit with you. You wouldn't eat corn, or peas, or carrots. Now, last night your Aunt Martha specifically asked you what vegetables you liked and you said broccoli. So, she made broccoli just for you tonight. Now, what's the problem?"

"It's gross." Jessie said simply.

"But you said you liked it," Jonathan reiterated.

Jessie smiled a sweet fake smile. "Guess I was wrong."

"I like it," Clark offered.

Jessie sneered at him. "You'd eat anything."

Clark shrugged weakly. She had a point.

Jonathan struggled to stay calm. "Well, like it or not, there it is, per your request, so you can just eat it anyway."

"Or not," Jessie said, pushing her plate away slightly.

"Now you listen here, young lady…" Jonathan began.

"Jonathan." Martha interrupted.

"No, Martha. We are not going to do this every night. Now she asked for broccoli, you made broccoli, and she's going to eat it."

"You can't make me eat that," Jessie informed him.

Jonathan leaned towards her slightly. "Well, I can make you sit there until you do."

"Wanna make a bet?" Jessie asked boldly, getting up from her chair and walking to the stairs.

Jonathan turned in his seat. "Jessica! You come back here and sit down. Now!"

Jessica started up the steps, not hurrying, but not taking her eyes off her uncle. Jonathan got up and she quickly ran the rest of the way to the top.

Martha got up and rushed to step in front of her husband. "Jonathan, wait."

"Martha, something has to be done about that child's behavior."

"Jonathan, she's been through so much in a very short amount of time. She's still just getting used to everything. She just needs a little more time."

"Martha, you and I both know that what that little girl really needs is a trip across my knee."

"Just let me talk to her. Please?"

Jonathan knew when he was beaten. "Fine," he relented. "But just make sure she knows that we aren't going to put up with any more of this kind of behavior."

"I will," Martha assured him. "Why don't you cut you and Clark a piece of pie?" she suggested, which produced a smile from Clark.

"And people say girls are easier," Jonathan half-joked.

"Did I ever act like that?" Clark asked him.

Jonathan thought for a moment and shook his head slowly. "No. You were an easy kid, Clark. A pleaser. You always did your best to do what you thought we wanted.

There's just a goodness in you, through and through. Like your mother."

"And Jessie?" Clark asked.

Jonathan smiled slightly. "Jessie's more like me. I saw it in her eyes tonight. It was like looking in a mirror. I could see it all. Rebellion. Defiance. Stubbornness. Don't get me wrong. There's goodness in there, too. But it's going to be quite a challenge keeping the goodness on top. Now I know how my father felt."

"So you were a problem child, huh?"

Jonathan shook his head as he remembered. "I could get in trouble for something one minute and turn right around the next minute and do the exact same thing again, right in front of my father, just to spite him."

Clark was amazed. "Why?"

"I wish I knew. If I did I'd probably have a much better idea how to deal with Jessie. All I know is that my dad never backed off. He stayed right on my butt until I eventually did the right thing."

"Sounds pretty harsh," Clark said.

"I thought so, too…at the time. Now I realize that if he hadn't stayed on top of those rebellious tendencies I might not have turned out to be the fine upstanding citizen you see before you today," he said with a sly smile. "How about giving me a hand with these dishes?"

Upstairs, Jessie had gone to her room and closed the door. She had been there no more than two minutes when she heard a knock.

"Who is it?" she asked, not quite able to mask the nervousness in her voice.

She was relieved when she heard Aunt Martha voice answer from the other side.

Jessie walked over and opened the door a crack.

"Can I come in?" Martha asked.

Jessie opened the door wider and stepped back. Martha came in and sat down on the bed.

"Come over here sweetheart. I want to talk to you," she said, patting the spot next to her.

Jessie sat down next to her and looked down at her hands.

"Look at me, Jessie," Martha said.

Jessie did.

"I know you love your grandmother very much and it must have been so hard for you when she had to go to the Nursing Home."

"I could have taken care of her," Jessie said softly.

"No, baby. You couldn't. She needs the kind of care that only a professional medical staff can give. Besides, do you think she'd want you giving up your entire childhood to look after her?"

"I wouldn't have minded."

"She would have."

Jessie shook her head. "She wouldn't have known. Since the stroke she never even knew I was there."

Martha put her arms around the little girl. "Jessie, sometimes things happen that are hard to understand. I don't know why this happened to your grandmother anymore than I know why I lost my sister so soon. Your mother and I were so close when we were growing up. I thought my heart was going to break when she died. But when I saw you I knew I hadn't really lost her completely. She lives on in you."

Jessie thought for a moment. "I know Grandma is totally out of it and all, but do you think she knows I'm okay?"

Martha squeezed her. "I'm sure she does. And we just feel so blessed to have you. When your Uncle Jonathan and I adopted Clark I was so thrilled to finally be a mother. But as happy as I was, somewhere inside I still wished for a little girl. And now I have you."

Jessie smiled at that. "I'm glad, too. It's just…"

"Just what?"

"I don't think Uncle Jonathan is quite as happy about it as you and me."

Martha pushed Jessie back enough to look her in the eye. "Jessie, that's not true. Your Uncle Jonathan loves you very much. He's a wonderful man. He's loving, and kind, and generous, and understanding. Most of all, he's fair. You always know where you stand with him."

"He has too many rules," Jessie criticized.

"I guess that's because he has a tendency to expect the same high standards from others that he demands of himself."

"I guess I should apologize to him, huh?"

Martha smiled. "I'm sure he'd appreciate that."

Martha stood up to leave. "I'd better get the kitchen cleaned up."

"Can I help?" Jessie offered.

"Thank you, Sweetheart."

When they got back downstairs, Jonathan and Clark had finished their pie and were clearing dishes from the table. Jessie noticed that her plate had been cleared and that the dreaded broccoli was in the trash where it belonged.

"Uncle Jonathan?" she said hesitantly.

"Yeah?"

"Umm…"

He squatted down to her eyelevel. "What is it, darlin'?"

"I'm sorry for the way I acted."

Jonathan smiled and kissed her on the forehead. "Apology accepted. And, thank you."

Jessie smiled back. "You're welcome."

Martha walked past them and into the living room and to everyone's surprise put a CD into the stereo and turned it up.

"How would you like for me to show you how your sister and I got the kitchen cleaned up when we were kids?"

Jessie nodded emphatically as "That Old Time Rock and Roll" began blasting from the speakers.

Clark stared in shock as he watched his mother pick up an armload of dishes from the table and dance them back into the kitchen. Jonathan took his cue from her and did likewise. Once they had deposited the dishes on the counter, they indulged in a little spin and dip before returning for another load. Clark and Jessie exchanged glances, shrugged, and chimed in. Before long the kitchen was spotless and Jessie had decided that she might just be happy living here after all, rules or no rules.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters. They are the property of the writers, creators, and producers of the Smallville television series.

**Story Note:** Jonathan and Martha Kent have taken in Martha's sister's child. Martha's sister and her husband died in a car accident soon after Jessie was born and the 9 year old girl has been raised by her paternal grandmother. It's sometime during the second season and Clark is in the 10th grade.

After relentless begging from Jessie, Clark agreed to take her to see Lex's mansion the next weekend. Lex couldn't have been more a more perfect host. He invited them to spend the entire afternoon. They swam in the pool, watched a movie on his enormous screen television, played video games on real arcade machines, and finished the day with a gourmet meal that was prepared by his personal chef.

Clark practically had to drag her away when it was time to leave. The only thing that got her out the door was Lex's promise that she could come by anytime she wanted, no invitation necessary. Jessie surprised Lex and Clark when she motioned for Lex to lean down and gave him a huge hug.

Jessie was getting used to her routine of school, homework, and chores but she still didn't like it. She grumbled her way through her own chores most days but was always happy to tag along behind Jonathan as he did his. She had never had a father figure in her life and she was quickly growing quite attached to her Uncle Jonathan. And he was just eating it up with a spoon.

Jessie had cleverly found a way around the one hour per day television rule by taking an interest in Jonathan's favorite baseball team. That was usually good for a few extra hours of TV on Sunday afternoon. At first she did it just to get to watch TV, but soon she was as big a Royals fan as Jonathan.

There were still problems, of course. Jessie averaged at least one note from her teacher a week. She still complained about her chores and she still tried to sneak TV time whenever she could get away with it. Tuesday and Thursday afternoons were Martha's days to deliver food to shut-ins and Jonathan was almost always working away from the house that time of the day. She usually enjoyed a little Oprah or played a video game. Clark knew what she was up to but was nice enough not to tattle.

One afternoon Jessie was engrossed in Oprah's interview with Ashton Kutcher. Too engrossed. Suddenly, the image in front of her changed from Ashton to Uncle Jonathan. Busted.

Jonathan didn't even say anything. He just started unhooking cords. Jessie protested loudly but her complaints fell on deaf ears. Jonathan Kent didn't make idle threats. As he carried the television from her room Jessie was beside herself.

"Go ahead! Take the stupid TV! See if I care!"

Clark was coming in through the kitchen as Jonathan was carrying the set out to the barn.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"Apparently your cousin doesn't think she has to bother with the rules around here," he said.

Noting the TV his father was carrying Clark quickly deduced what had happened. He went up to Jessie's room and found her sitting on the bed throwing everything within reach onto the floor.

"You know, you're just going to have to pick all that stuff up again," he cautioned.

"I'm not picking up squat!" she yelled.

"Jessie, knock it off before you get yourself in more trouble," he warned her.

"I'm going crazy on this farm totally cut off from all civilization!"

"Don't you think you're being a little overly dramatic?"

"I had a conversation with a chicken yesterday! I ask you, is that the actions of a sane person?"

Clark couldn't help laughing. "What you need is a friend. Haven't you met anyone at school you thought was interesting?"

Jessie thought about it. "There's this one kid who can drink milk and blow it out through his nose. That's pretty interesting, don't you think?"

Clark raised an eyebrow. "Actually, I think that's pretty disgusting."

Jessie nodded. "So, you see my point."

"Look, Pete has a sister about your age. Maybe we could all do something this weekend," he offered.

"Well, if she doesn't cluck when she walks she's a step up from my current best friend."

"Okay, I'll see if I can set it up. Come on, I'll help you get this stuff picked up before Dad sees it."

"Thanks. Clark?"

"Yeah?"

"Sometimes I used to imagine that I had an older brother," she confessed.

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah, but I never imagined him as nice as you."

Clark smiled and pushed her back onto the bed. "Shut up and clean, Squirt."

The next morning Jessie was in the barn getting some feed for the chickens before school when she noticed her TV boxed up in the corner. The site of it sitting out here, HER TV, made something inside her snap. She stashed her backpack behind some boxes and started walking down the road.

A few hours later, the phone rang. It was the school reporting Jessie absent for the day. Martha ran out to the field to find Jonathan. Together they combed every inch of the farm but turned up nothing.

"I'm going to the High School to get Clark. Maybe he'll have some idea where she'd go," Martha said.

"I'll take a walk down to the lake. It's pretty hot. Maybe she decided to go for a swim."

Martha panicked. "Oh, my God! Jonathan, what if she drowned?"

Jonathan put his arms around her. "Honey, I'm sure she's fine. We'll find her. I promise."

At the High School, Martha had Clark called to the office. "Can you think of anywhere she might go?" she asked him.

He didn't have to think long. Lex.

"Actually, I have a pretty good idea. Go home, Mom. I'll call you if I find her."

Once he cleared the school doors, he was a blur. Two seconds later, he was at the front door of the mansion. Lex greeted him at the door.

"Clark. So you've decide to spend your day off from school here at Luther Acres as well, eh?"

Clark looked past Lex and saw Jessie sitting on the couch in front of the big screen TV sipping a soda from a wine glass.

"There is no day off, Lex. Jessie's ditching. And Mom and Dad are going crazy looking for her."

Lex walked into the room where Jessie was sitting. "Gotta give you props, kid. Gutsy move. But lying to a friend? Not too cool. And I though you and I were going to be great friends."

Jessie had the decency to at least look ashamed. "I'm sorry, Lex. I didn't think you'd let me hang out if I told you I was skipping."

"I guess I can appreciate your dilemma."

"Get your stuff. We're leaving," Clark ordered.

"I don't have any stuff. I ditched it in the barn. Besides, I'm not ready to leave yet."

"I said we're leaving," Clark said as he picked her up and slung her over his shoulder.

Lex walked them to the door and opened it. "Clark, please explain to your parents that I never would have allowed her to stay if I had known the situation," he said above the noise of Jessie kicking and screaming to get away from her super strong cousin.

"Don't worry, Lex. I will," Clark assured him.

Lex grabbed a set of keys from the table by the door. "Here. Take the Porsche."

"Thanks," Clark said gratefully. "I'll bring it back tonight."

"Just drop it off on your way to school tomorrow."

"Will do. Thanks again."

Once outside, Clark deposited Jessie into the passenger seat and buckled the seatbelt around her. Clark used the phone in the Porsche to let his parents know that Jessie was safe and sound and on her way home. Clark, Jessie, and Martha arrived home at the same time. Jonathan was on the porch waiting when they pulled up. He walked to the car and opened Jessie's door.

"Out!" he ordered.

Jessie shook her head. "Uh, uh."

Jonathan reached in and unhooked her seatbelt.

"Jessica, I am going to give you until the count of three to get out of that car. One, Two…"

Jessie quickly scrambled out and ran past him into the house. She was about one-third of the way upstairs when Jonathan's voice stopped her.

"Freeze!"

Jessie froze.

"You get yourself back down here right now!"

Jessie turned and came back down the stairs. Jonathan pointed to the living room.

Martha and Clark were already there waiting. Jessie joined them and sat down on the couch.

"What do you have to say for yourself, Jessica?"

"Can we get a big screen TV?" she asked.

"Jessie." Martha scolded softly.

"Why did you play hooky from school and why did you go to Lex Luther's house of all places?" Jonathan asked loudly.

Jessie could feel herself starting to fume. "I played hooky from school because school is stupid!" she said, equally as loud.

Jessie got up and walked towards the fireplace. "And I went to Lex's house because he has really cool stuff to do there. I played video games and pool and played with these awesome electric trains," she yelled, getting louder as she talked.

Martha and Jonathan looked at each other as she continued her tirade.

"Now ask me what I wasn't doing?" Jessie shouted. Not waiting for a response, she continued. "I wasn't picking weeds, I wasn't cooking, or cleaning." She then stepped up on the coffee table and got right in Jonathan's face and shouted in her loudest voice yet, "and I wasn't walking around in chicken crap!"

Demonstrating enormous restraint, Jonathan calmly looked at Martha. "Sweetheart, this might be a good time to get some things from the garden for dinner."

Martha was happy to make herself scarce.

Noticing Clark still standing in the doorway, Jonathan added, "Clark, why don't you give your mother a hand."

Clark followed his mom out the back door, giving Jessie a sympathetic look as he went.

Now alone with Jessie, Jonathan took a step towards the coffee table where she was still standing.

Jessie looked scared and took a small step backward. "You'd better not touch me," she said, now with more fear than bravado.

"Darlin', I've been patient with you up until now. In fact, I think I've been more than patient. But now it's time for you and I to come to an understanding."

With that, he scooped her up under his arm and carried her over to a nearby chair.

Jessie didn't go without a fight. She kicked and squirmed and at one point even tried to bite Jonathan on the arm but it was useless. Her number was up and she knew it. Jonathan bent her over his knee and gave her 5 or 6 fairly hard swats and Jessie suddenly burst into tears.

He picked her up and carried her over to the couch and sat down, holding her in his lap.

"Shhhh. Okay. Cry it out. Just cry it all out."

And Jessie did. She cried for her grandmother. She cried for her parents. She cried from loneliness. She cried from frustration. And as the tears flowed, Jonathan held her and stroked her hair. When the sobs finally began to subside, he talked to her in his most tender voice.

"I love you, Jessie. And no matter how hard you push, you can't push me away. I know you're a tough cookie, kiddo. But here's something you don't know. I'm kind of a tough cookie myself. And no matter how many times you try to go down the wrong road, I'm going to be right there to set you straight, because you're my little girl now."

He leaned her head back to see her face. "Got it?"

Jessie nodded slightly. "Got it."

She sat up and wiped her face on her sleeve. "Now, about that big screen TV…" she managed to choke out through her tears.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters. They are the property of the writers, creators, and producers of the Smallville television series.

**Story Note:** Jonathan and Martha Kent have taken in Martha's sister's child. Martha's sister and her husband died in a car accident soon after Jessie was born and the 9 year old girl has been raised by her paternal grandmother. It's sometime during the second season and Clark is in the 10th grade.

Outside, Clark helped his mother pick some vegetables from the garden for dinner.

"I have corn and beans. Why don't you get some broccoli?" Martha suggested.

Clark froze. "Broccoli? Mom, are you sure? After last time…"

"Right. Of course. Forget the broccoli. I think corn and beans will be enough."

They could faintly hear what was going on inside the house and Clark could see that his mother was having a hard time.

"You know he had to, Mom," he said softly.

"Of course I know that, Sweetheart. It's just… hard to hear, you know?"

"So did you come running out here to the garden every time I got a spanking?"

Martha smiled. "Thank goodness that didn't happen very often but, yes, actually, I did."

They were quiet for a few moments and then Martha stopped and looked at Clark.

"Clark, when you were little and Dad spanked you, could you even feel it?"

Clark nodded. "Oh, yeah. I didn't start becoming impervious to pain until I was 10 or 12. Believe me, until then I felt…" He hesitated. "Almost every one."

Martha squinted slightly at him. "Almost?"

Clark looked at her with a sly smile. "Promise not to tell Dad?"

Not making any such commitment, Martha prompted, "Go on."

"Remember that time in 7th grade when Pete and I decided to take that camping trip without telling anyone?"

"Do I remember? That was the longest 14 hours of my life. Your dad and I were frantic. All I could think of was that whoever left you here had finally come back to claim you. Seeing that pick-up coming down the driveway with you and Pete in the back was the most glorious sight I had ever seen."

"I think Dad let you hug me for about 15 seconds before he and Mr. Ross bent Pete and me over the tailgate of the truck."

Martha nodded. "I remember. There wasn't a place on this farm far enough away that day to drown out the sound of you and Pete yelling."

"It was the worst spanking I ever got," Clark admitted.

She looked at him carefully then. "And you never felt a thing. Did you?"

Clark didn't say anything, but she had her answer.

"Clark Kent! Your father felt horrible. He walked around here for days feeling guilty that he had been too hard on you!"

Clark got playfully defensive. "What was I supposed to do, Mom? Pete was bawling his head off. It would have looked pretty weird if I wasn't, don't you think?"

A little more serious now, he added, "Besides, I think he would have felt a lot worse if he thought he couldn't really be my father in that way anymore. I did feel bad about faking it, though. That's why I tried to make sure he never had to do it again."

Martha smiled and touched his face. "And he never did, did he? You're a good boy, Clark."

Clark smiled broadly. "Thanks." Glancing towards the house, he added, "Let's hope it rubs off on Jessie or I have a feeling you and I are going to be spending a lot of time out here in the garden."

By the time Martha and Clark got back with the vegetables Jessie had stopped crying and was sitting in Jonathan's lap on the couch talking quietly with him.

"Jessie, would you like to help me with dinner?" Martha asked pleasantly.

Everyone was surprised when Jessie got up and cheerfully said, "Sure."

Martha held out a basket of corn. "Why don't you take this outside and shuck it."

"Take it outside and what?"

Clark took the basket. "Never mind. I'll show her."

Once they were outside, Martha leaned over to Jonathan. "That's quite a change. What exactly went on in here?"

Jonathan raised an eyebrow. "I think you know what went on in here."

Martha looked confused. "But she seems so, I don't know…happy."

Jonathan reached out and took his wife's hand. "That little girl has been carrying quite a load around with her. She told me that's the first time she's cried since her grandmother had the stroke."

"That poor baby." Martha said with tears in her own eyes.

"Everything she's been through. She just kept bottling it all up. Once she finally let go it just all came spilling out."

Martha squeezed his hand. "I keep thinking how different things might have been for her if we had taken her when Rachel died."

Jonathan nodded. "I know. But Clark was so little then and his abilities were so unpredictable. I was too afraid, I guess. Besides, Robert's mother was so set on having her. Who's to say she would have let us take her even if we had wanted to."

"And now? Jonathan, what happens if she finds out about Clark now?"

"Well, then I guess we just do what we always do. We deal with it the best we can."

The evening was full of surprises from Jessie. It was like she was a totally different little girl. The sadness that had been hiding just behind her eyes since she had arrived was gone.

After dinner the four of them sat together in the living room and watched one of Jessie's movies. Martha popped some popcorn and Clark occasionally threw pieces at Jessie when she wasn't looking. She pretended to be annoyed but Clark knew she really wasn't. When the movie was over he offered her a piggyback ride upstairs, which she accepted.

The next morning Clark drove the Porsche back to the mansion. He found Lex in the study having coffee.

"Come in, Clark. Can I get you a cup of coffee?"

"No, thanks. I'm running a little behind. I just wanted to drop off the car. I left your keys on the table. Thanks again."

"You're welcome. So, don't keep me in suspense. What happened when you got home."

"Pretty much what you'd expect, I guess. Dad yelled at Jessie. Jessie yelled at Dad."

"I'm guessing that wasn't a good move."

Clark smiled and shook his head. "Definitely not."

"Poor kid."

"Yeah, I felt pretty bad for her but now I think maybe it might not have been such a bad thing after all. She seemed to turn some sort of a corner. Like this big weight was lifted off of her."

"Your dad is an amazing father. You and Jessie are very lucky, Clark."

"I couldn't agree more. I'd better get to school. Thanks again for the car," he said as he walked to the door.

"Anytime."

The next Friday afternoon when school was out Clark and Pete picked up Jessie and Pete's little sister Angie from the elementary school. They spent an hour or so at the Arcade next to the Talon. Pete and Clark decided to go next door for some coffee and left the younger girls to play a little longer.

"We'll pick you up here in a little while, " Clark told Jessie as they left.

Jessie wished she was going with them. It turned out that Pete's little sister who Clark had said was "about her age" was actually only 8. Now, for some kids the difference between 8 and 9 might not have been that big a deal. But in Angie's case, it might as well have been decades. The kid still believed in Santa Claus for crying out loud. But, Clark had given them money to play and free video games were free video games, even if it did mean enduring Angie.

On Saturday afternoon, Jessie was in the barn loft with Clark. He let her hang out there sometimes but only when he was home and only if she didn't pester him.

"Hey, Clark! You up there?" It was Pete.

"Hey, Pete. Come on up," Clark called back.

As Pete reached the top of the stairs, Jessie noticed that he had Angie with him. She was carrying some sort of little suitcase.

"What are you guys up to?" Pete asked.

"Not much, just hangin', you know." Clark said as he got up from the couch. "Hi, Angie."

"Hey."

"I hope you don't mind me bringing her. When I said I was coming over here, she asked if she could come and play with Jessie," Pete explained.

Clark smiled down at Angie. "Not at all. Jessie, why don't you take Angie up to your room."

"Why?"

"To play."

"Play what?"

Clark was getting irritated. "I don't know. Whatever."

"I don't want to," Jessie said rudely.

"I bet if you asked Mom she'd get you guys some cookies or something."

"I'm not hungry," Jessie told him.

"Well, maybe Angie is," Clark said, motioning with his eyes to the stairs.

Deliberately not taking the hint, Jessie looked icily at Angie. "Do you want me to go get you some food?" she asked, making it clear that the answer had better be no.

Angie shook her head slightly. "No, that's okay."

Clark was embarrassed by the way Jessie was acting but wasn't sure what to do about it without making an already awkward situation even more awkward. Thankfully, Pete spoke up.

"Roscoe's got his dirt bike up for sale. My dad said if I could get a decent price for mine he might chip in the difference on Roscoe's. I thought you might like to go with me to check it out."

"Sure," Clark said eagerly. "Beats sitting around here."

"Do you think it would be okay with your mom if Angie stayed here and played with Jessie."

"I'm sure it's fine. Let me just go tell her we're going," Clark said as he started down the steps.

Angie took a hesitant step towards Jessie. "Wanna play?" she asked, holding up her little Barbie case for Jessie to see.

Jessie's eyes got wide. "Clark! Wait a minute!" she called, rushing after him.

"What?" he said, turning around.

"I want to go with you and Pete," she declared.

"You have to stay here and play with Angie," he whispered.

"I don't want to play with Angie," she said, a little too loud.

"Shhh! She'll hear you," Clark cautioned.

"So what?"

"So, you'll hurt her feelings."

"Hey, it's not my fault she came over here uninvited."

Clark leaned down so that he could talk to Jessie quietly. "Look, invited or not, she's your guest and you have to be nice to her."

"You like her so much you go be nice to her!" Jessie told him, still too loud.

Clark was getting angry. "Jessie, knock it off," he said through clenched teeth. "It won't kill you to play with her for a little while. Look, I'll even let you guys play in the loft. What do you say?"

Jessie thought it over. "Five bucks."

Clark couldn't believe it. "I'm not giving you five dollars to play in MY loft," he hissed.

Jessie was practically yelling now. "You're lucky I'm not charging you 10! That stupid little twerp's got Barbie dolls up there for crissakes!"

Clark looked up and saw that Pete and Angie had heard pretty much the entire exchange. Pete had his arm around his sister and Clark could see that she was crying.

Angie looked up at her brother. "I wanna go home."

Pete nodded and they made their way down the stairs.

Clark looked miserable. "Pete, I'm sorry. Angie…"

"Guess we'd better check out that bike another day, Clark."

"Sure. Whenever you want. I'm so sorry."

Pete looked directly at Jessie as he said, "Not your fault, man."

Angie walked behind him to the car, sniffling as she walked. Clark followed them out and as Pete's car pulled away he stomped back up the stairs to find Jessie casually sitting on the couch flipping through her magazine.

"How could you be so mean?" he yelled.

"Leave me alone."

He walked over and snatched the magazine she was reading out of her hands. "Answer me! How could you be so mean to Angie?"

"I wasn't mean! I just said I didn't want to play with her, that's all!" she yelled back.

"Did you miss the part where she was crying?" Clark shouted.

"I told you she's a baby."

Clark threw up his hands. "I can't believe you don't know how rotten you were."

Still nothing from Jessie.

"Fine. Maybe we should just see what Dad thinks about it."

Jessie jerked her head up to look at him. "You're going tell on me?"

"Maybe."

Jessie got up and stood in front of him, shaking her head. "I knew you were a goody-goody, Clark. But I never took you for a tattletale."

Clark had to admit that he had never taken himself for a tattletale, either. But he wanted her to see that she could just walk all over peoples feelings like that.

"Fine," he said, walking over to the couch and sitting down. "Come over here, Jessie."

Jessie looked at him cautiously. "What for?"

"I want to talk to you."

Jessie flipped her hand up in his direction. "Talk to the hand," she said glibly.

Clark stood back up and started toward the stairs. "Suit yourself. I guess I'll just have to tell Dad, then. What do you think he's going to do?"

Jessie quickly thought it over. One the one hand, she didn't want Clark thinking he could boss her around. She had enough people doing that lately, thank you very much. On the other hand, she'd been getting closer and closer to her Aunt and Uncle. Just this morning Uncle Jonathan had told her how proud he was of the way she's been behaving lately. She hated the thought of disappointing him.

"Clark, wait."

He turned around and waited.

"Okay. I'll listen."

Clark came back and sat back down on the couch.

"Sit," he ordered.

Jessie sat.

"The way you treated Pete's sister was selfish and rude."

"But I didn't ask her to come over here," Jessie whined.

"That's not the point and you know it," Clark said. "Look, I know Angie acts a little younger than you…"

Jessie gaped at him. "A little!"

Clark rolled his eyes. "Okay, a lot. But you can't always just think about your feelings, Jessie. Sometimes younger kids look up to older kids and they want to hang out with them, because they think they're cool. And the older kid just has to be sensitive to their feelings and make the best of it, you know?"

Jessie suddenly realized why Clark seemed to be such an expert on the subject.

"You mean like letting the younger kid hang around their loft sometimes when they'd really rather be alone?" she asked sheepishly.

Clark smiled, happy she had made the connection. "Yeah. Like that."

"Okay, okay, I get it. But, be fair, it's not like I dragged all my dolls up here to play with or anything."

"No, just…" he picked up the magazine she had been reading. "Hottest Teen Hunks of the Summer. You're right. That's not the same thing at all," he said sarcastically.

"Point taken," she said, standing up. "And listen, anytime I'm hanging around and you wish I wasn't, you can tell me to get lost. I won't mind. I guess I kind of know how it feels now."

"Thanks. I appreciate that," Clark said.

Just as she reached the stairs, she turned back. "Clark?"

"Yeah?"

"Could you could take me over to Angie's house tomorrow. I think I'd like to tell her I'm sorry."

"I could do that," he said.

"And Clark?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for not telling Uncle Jonathan on me."

"Just don't make me regret it."

"I won't," she promised. "Enjoy your solitude," she called as she left.

He did.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. They are the property of the writers, creators, and producers of the Smallville television series. **

**Story Note: Jonathan and Martha Kent have taken in Martha's sister's child. Martha's sister and her husband died in a car accident soon after Jessie was born and the 9 year old girl has been raised by her paternal grandmother. It's sometime during the second season and Clark is in the 10th grade.**

Clark took Jessie over to the Angie's house the next day so that she could apologize to her. Angie was incredibly nice about it, which made Jessie feel even worse for being mean to her. Jessie had taken along a large box of Barbie things that she never played with anymore and Angie was thrilled when Jessie gave them to her. Jessie even promised to come over and play with them with her sometime.

Clark was proud of his little cousin and offered to take her for an ice cream cone. On the way, they passed three giant moving vans.

"That must be our new neighbors," he remarked.

"What new neighbors?" Jessie asked.

"The ones who bought Lana's house. Mom said they were moving in this month."

"Let's go up in the loft and spy on them," Jessie suggested wickedly.

"What about your ice cream?"

"This is better," she said with en evil grin.

"That's terrible," Clark told her, but turned the truck around.

Up in the loft, it took only seconds for Clark to focus the telescope on the front porch of Lana's old house. He'd had plenty of practice.

"See anything?" Jessie asked.

"Nah. Just the moving men so far. Wait. There's a kid."

"Let me see!" Jessie crowed next to Clark, who stepped aside.

"It's a girl. And that must be her mom. Or her sister."

"Shove over," Clark said, curious himself now.

"Definitely her mom," Clark observed, not totally hiding his disappointment.

"Let's go meet them," Jessie suggested.

Clark thought it over. "Mom made cookies this morning. We could take some of those."

"Let's go," Jessie said, darting down the stairs.

The new family was named Peterson. There was a mom, a dad, and one child, a girl named Claudia. Claudia was 11 but was in the same grade as Jessie. They were from Metropolis and both Mr. and Mrs. Peterson were writers who were planning to work from home.

By the end of the week Jessie and Claudia had become friends. Each afternoon Jessie hurried through her homework and chores to rush over to Claudia's house. Claudia was as unhappy about being isolated from civilization as Jessie was and their common misery bound them like glue.

Martha encouraged Jessie to invite Claudia over to their house, but the Peterson house was clearly where the action was. Over there, the girls were free to watch TV, play the stereo loud, eat junk food, and basically do whatever they wanted. The Petersons were what was known as permissive parents.

Their permissive parenting was obvious to Martha and Jonathan in just the limited amount of time they had spent with Claudia. On the few occasions she had come over, they found her to be impertinent and rude. They weren't sure Claudia was a very good influence, but Jessie seemed to like her so much and she desperately needed a friend. They decided to give it some time.

Jessie was thrilled when Claudia was put in Mrs. Bremmer's class with her. However, within two days the girls had to be separated to opposite sides of the room. Oh, well. They still had lunch and recess.

The good thing about Jessie's new friendship with Claudia was that she had become diligent about her homework and chores. She didn't want to risk not getting to go to Claudia's house. She averaged four afternoons there a week and slept over almost every Friday night. Martha continued to invite Claudia to stay at their house, but her offer was usually politely (and sometimes not so politely) declined.

One weekend however, Mrs. Peterson stopped by and asked if Claudia could spend the weekend with the Kents. She and her husband had some business in the city and would be gone for three days. Happy to finally repay all the hospitality that had been extended to Jessie, Martha eagerly agreed.

She went all out. Friday afternoon, she made pizza dough from scratch along with every imaginable topping so that the girls could make their own pizzas. With her recent attention to her homework and chores, Jessie had managed to earn her television set back and Martha and Jonathan had said she and Claudia could have unlimited access for Friday night. Jessie was planning a horror film festival.

The evening was a big hit. Martha was a little ashamed to admit how glad she was that the kids were finally having a good time at their house for a change. She realized she must have secretly been jealous of how much Jessie liked being at the Petersons.

On Saturday, the family made a day of it at Crater Lake. Jonathan and Clark took the girls out in the rowboat in the morning for some fishing, although neither girl was interested in touching worms or fish. Clark and Jonathan managed to catch a few, however, and by noon they met Martha for a picnic.

Jonathan delegated fish cleaning duty to Clark while he found some wood for a fire. Once the cleaning was done, Clark had some fun chasing Claudia and Jessie around with fish heads until his mother scolded him to stop.

Martha got the rest of the food ready while Jonathan showed the girls how to cook fish over the fire. Everyone had a wonderful lunch and afterward Jonathan and Martha stretched out on a blanket for an afternoon nap.

Jessie and Claudia begged to go swimming in the lake and Clark agreed to take them. The girls took turns climbing on Clark's shoulders so that he could throw them off and he had to constantly remind himself not to toss too hard.

Once they were home, Jessie and Claudia took a shower and Jessie asked her guest what she would like to do next.

"I don't know. Where's Clark?" she asked.

"Out in the barn, probably. Why?"

"Let's go see him," Claudia suggested.

"Why? We just saw him all day."

"Promise you won't tell him?" Claudia asked.

Jessie nodded.

"I think he's hot," Claudia confessed.

Jessie raised her eyebrows. "Clark?"

"Clark," Claudia confirmed.

"Really."

"Let's go say hi, just for a sec. Please?"

Jessie shrugged. "Okay."

In the loft Clark was busy working on a paper that was due for school on Monday.

"Knock. Knock," Jessie said as they came up the steps.

"Hey, guys. What's up?"

Jessie came to the point. "Claudia wanted to say hi."

Looking confused, Clark said, "O…kay. Hi, Claudia."

"Hi," Claudia returned.

Walking over to the telescope, she asked, "What's this for?"

"Clark likes to look at the stars," Jessie explained. "He was an alien in another life," she joked.

Clark smiled nervously.

"Looks to me like it's pointed at my house," Jessie observed.

"It must have gotten bumped," Clark said, tilting it slightly upward, not wanting to be busted for spying on her family on moving day.

Claudia looked through the viewfinder and adjusted it back down again.

"Well, if you get tired of looking at stars, Clark, there are other heavenly bodies to admire."

Done adjusting the telescope, she held her shoulders back, accentuating her fairly ample chest and said in her most flirtatious voice, "My room's the one on the right. Feel free to look at anything you like."

Clark raised his eyebrows in surprise. Not knowing what to say, he shot a questioning look at Jessie, who shrugged.

Claudia was on a roll. She walked over to where Clark was standing and leaned close to him. "I think tall men are sexy, don't you, Jessie?" she asked as she touched Clark's shoulder.

"What men?" Jessie asked.

Clearly uncomfortable, Clark gently pushed past Claudia and walked to the other side of the loft.

"Aren't you supposed to be helping Mom with dinner?" he asked Jessie, his voice cracking a bit.

Jessie tried to take the hint. "Sure. Come on, Claudia."

"Go ahead. I'll be there in a sec."

Not knowing what else to do, Jessie shrugged and left them alone.

Once she was sure she was alone with Clark, Claudia became even more bold.

"You know, Clark, any night you wanted some company up here, all you'd have to do is send me a signal. Say, put a red handkerchief over this lamp," she said walking over to his desk.

"Actually, I usually come up here to be alone. No offense."

"Alone is boring," she said nuzzling close again. "We could have a lot of fun together, Clark."

Clark took her hands off of his shoulders and gently pushed her away.

"That's never ever going to happen, Claudia."

"What's the matter, Clark? You aren't afraid of a little girl, are you?"

Not wanting to hurt her feelings, but clearly uncomfortable, Clark said, "I kind of like someone else."

Jessie started towards the stairs. "That's okay, Clark. I can wait," she promised. "And one of these days you're going to be glad I did."

She left and Clark stared after her. That kid was way too mature for Jessie.

Claudia's parents came home on Sunday and Jessie was sad for her to leave. But Monday afternoon found them together again. Martha and Jonathan had picked them up from school and were letting them hang out at the record store while they ran errands.

Clark walked by the record store and noticed Jessie and Claudia through the window.

"Hey. What are you two up to?" he asked, coming inside.

"Uncle Jonathan and Aunt Martha had some stuff to do so we're just hanging out."

"Cool. I was about to head home. You guys want to catch a ride with me or do you want to stay here?"

Jessie deferred to Claudia, who said she'd rather stay.

"Okay. Well, I'll be at the Talon for a few more minutes if you change your minds," Clark said and started out of the store.

"Hey, that's the new band Pete was telling me about," he said as a CD on display caught his eye.

"You should get it," Jessie told him.

"Not for $18," he said. "I'll just listen to Pete's."

After Clark left, Claudia walked over to Jessie.

"Clark really wanted that CD," she said.

"Yeah, but he's really tight with money," Jessie explained.

"Why don't you get it for him?" Claudia suggested.

"With what? My good looks?"

"In a way," Jessie said mysteriously.

"I don't get it," Jessie admitted.

"You just have to use your innocent looks," Claudia told her, still not totally clear.

Jessie was about to ask for a further explanation when she felt Claudia push something into the waistband of her jeans. Things were becoming clearer now.

"You want me to steal it?" she whispered.

Claudia smiled at her.

"I can't do that," Jessie whispered. "What if Mr. Knox sees me?"

"I've already done the hard part for you. It's in your pants. All you have to do is walk out."

Jessie looked around. There was no one else in the store. She was pretty sure Mr. Knox hadn't seen anything. She really didn't want to steal from him. He'd always been nice to her when she came in. But she didn't want Claudia to think she was chicken.

"Okay. If we're going to do it, let's just go," Jessie said and headed for the door.

"Didn't find anything today, Ladies?"

"Not today, Mr. Knox," Jessie said, feeling totally guilty.

"Well, you come back anytime," he said.

Jessie thanked him and quickly hurried out the door. Unfortunately in her haste, she neglected to see her aunt and uncle about to come in and she ran right into her Uncle Jonathan.

"Whoa, there, Sweetheart. Are you okay?" he asked, catching her as she nearly fell backward.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she answered.

"What's this?" he asked as he pulled the CD from underneath her jacket.

Jessie could only stare at the CD in his hand and wish she were dead.

"Jessica? I asked you a question. Where did you get this?"

"From the record store," she said quietly.

"I don't seem to see a receipt," he said sternly. "Is there a reason for that?"

Jessie was silent.

Jonathan knelt down to Jessie's level and held the CD in front of her. "Jessie, did you steal this?" he asked her quietly.

Jessie looked at the ground and nodded her head slightly. "Yes, sir."

Jonathan stood up and looked at Claudia. "What do you know about this?" he asked her.

Claudia held her hands up in the air. "Hey, I'm just as shocked as you are Mr. Kent."

Jonathan gave her a doubtful look, but decided not to push it.

"Martha, why don't you take Claudia over to the Talon and get a ride home with Clark?"

"What are you going to do?" she asked, as if she didn't know.

"Jessie and I need to have a talk with Mr. Knox and then we'll take the car home."

"Come on, Claudia," Martha said and they headed down the street.

Jonathan gestured toward the door of the record shop. "Let's go," he said to Jessie.

Mr. Knox smiled as they came through the door. "Well, back so soon?" he greeted them.

"Jessie has something she needs to talk to you about, Ray."

"What is it, Little Lady?" he said, leaning over the counter.

Jessie held out the CD, but couldn't look at him. "I stole this. I'm sorry."

Mr. Knox was surprised. He straightened up and looked down at her. "Well. I have to say I'm mighty disappointed about that."

"Ray, if you'd like to call the Sheriff, we'll wait," Jonathan offered.

Mr. Knox shook his head. "Ain't no need for that, Jonathan. I'm sure you can handle this at home." He raised an eyebrow and looked down at Jessie. "I don't reckon you'll be trying anything like this again," he said

Still too ashamed to look at him but feeling his eyes on her, Jessie answered, "No, sir."

"Thank you, Ray," Jonathan said, as the two men shook hands.

A little while later, Jonathan stood in the hallway outside Jessica's room. Taking a deep breath, he knocked on her door.

"Come in," came the small voice from inside.

Jessica was sitting in the window seat looking out. Jonathan walked over and sat down on the bed across from her. Jessica shifted around to look at him.

Jonathan sat for a moment, not saying anything. He laced his fingers together and stared down at his hands. Finally, he spoke in a quiet voice.

"Jessie, years from now when you look back on your childhood, I imagine that what's about to happen here is one of the things you'll probably always remember the most. So I want to be very clear."

Chills flooded over Jessie as the terror in her started to rise. She stared at her uncle, barely breathing.

Jonathan continued.

"One of the few things you'll ever have in this life that no one can take away from you is your integrity. It's up to you to build it, and it's up to you to protect it. And nothing is worth throwing it away."

He lifted his head and looked at Jessie hard. "My children don't lie. My children don't cheat. And my children don't steal."

Jessie swallowed hard and waited for him to continue.

"You're about to learn what happens in this house if you do. I hope you never forget it. Now, come over here," he said, holding out his hand.

Clark and Martha found Jonathan in the barn splitting wood when they returned home.

"Dad?"

Jonathan swung the axe and split a large log, then looked at the two of them.

"Did you drop Claudia off?" he asked.

Martha nodded. "Yes. I didn't tell her folks what happened in town, but I think they ought to know. Jonathan, you know Jessie didn't do this alone."

"I know."

"Don't you think we should tell her parents? I mean, I think we'd want to know, wouldn't we?"

Jonathan nodded in agreement. "Yes, Sweetheart, we would. But I don't think they do. Kids don't get to be like Claudia overnight. That takes years of looking the other way and ignoring bad behavior."

Clark spoke up. "That kid's a bad influence. I don't Jessie should hang around with her."

Martha agreed. "I think we should tell her she can't play with Claudia anymore."

Jonathan put his arm around his wife. "As much as I'd like to do that, I think it would be the wrong thing to do."

"But Jonathan, why? Claudia is just going to keep getting her into more and more trouble."

"Probably. But I think we have to allow Jessie to figure that out for herself. Maybe when she gets tired of getting in trouble, she'll do something about it."

"I'm going to go up and look in on her, then I'll start dinner," Martha said as she left.

When Martha got to Jessie's room, she was still lying on her bed. Martha came in and sat down next to her on the bed. She reached out and stroked her hair gently.

"You okay, Sweetheart?"

Claudia turned over and snuggled next to her Aunt.

"Uncle Jonathan spanked me really hard," she said, not crying but still decidedly whiney.

Martha continued patting her. "Your Uncle Jonathan and I have certain things that we feel very strongly about. We want you to grow up to be a person with morals and values that you can be proud of. I hope that when you grow up you'll be able to look back on the way we raised you and feel that we didn't let you down."

Martha stood up to leave. "I'd better get started on dinner. Your Uncle Jonathan is working up quite an appetite out in the barn chopping wood."

"How come? It's not even cold."

Martha crossed her arms and looked down at Jessica. "When he has to punish you it isn't just hard on you, Jess. It hurts him, too. I know that's a cliché, but it's true. I guess chopping wood helps him sort of work through those feelings."

Martha left, leaving Jessie to think over what she had said.

When dinner was ready, Martha called Clark and Jonathan in from the barn. As Clark passed through the kitchen, his mother asked him to tell Jessie that it was time to eat.

"Sure, Mom."

Clark knocked on her door.

"Come in," she told him.

"Dinner," he said, poking his head in the door.

"I don't want any," she said softly.

"Come on, Squirt, don't pout."

"I'm not pouting."

Clark opened the door and came in. "What wrong, then? If you're worried about sitting, I'll get you a pillow," he offered jokingly. "Not mine, of course," he added with a smile.

Jessie turned over and looked at him. "It's not that."

Clark sat down on the bed and waited.

"I can't look at him," Jessie confessed. "He's ashamed of me," she said sadly. "I'm ashamed of myself."

"Look. Nobody's perfect, Jess. Sometimes people make mistakes. They make bad choices. I know I have. But let me tell you something about my dad. He always forgives me. No matter what. Because he loves me. And he loves you, too, Jessie."

Jessie seemed to be thinking it over.

"So how 'bout it? Come have some dinner? I'll eat your broccoli when Mom's not looking."

Jessie looked alarmed. "We're having broccoli?"

"Gotcha," Clark said with a grin.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters. They are the property of the writers, creators, and producers of the Smallville television series.

**Story Note:** Jonathan and Martha Kent have taken in Martha's sister's child. Martha's sister and her husband died in a car accident soon after Jessie was born and the 9 year old girl has been raised by her paternal grandmother. It's sometime during the second season and Clark is in the 10th grade.

The next morning Jessie walked to the end of the driveway to catch the bus. Claudia was already there waiting.

"Hey, Bonnie. Where's Clyde?" Claudia ribbed.

"Not funny. And if you mean Clark, he's taking the truck to school so he can pick up the feed order on his way home."

"Excellent. Do you think he'd give us a ride home?"

"I don't think you're exactly his favorite person right now," Jessie informed her.

"What'd I do?"

Jessie gaped at her. "You're kidding, right?"

"No."

Jessie rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Do you have any idea how much trouble I got in yesterday because of you?"

"Hey. I was just trying to help you do something nice for Clark. What's so awful about that?"

"Look, we just shouldn't have done it is all. I'm not saying it was all you. I knew it was wrong when I walked out of the store."

"So, are you grounded or what?"

"No," Jessie said vaguely, not wishing to elaborate.

"So what's all this trouble you got in?" Claudia pressed.

"Here comes the bus," Jessie observed, thankful for the interruption.

The next weekend was Jonathan and Martha's 25th wedding anniversary. Jonathan wanted to take her to Metropolis for an evening on the town. He wanted to stay over for the weekend but after what happened last year, they decided that staying away overnight was probably not a good idea. Clark agreed to baby-sit Jessie and Martha and Jonathan made it very clear that they were not to have anyone over.

Clark spend the better part of Friday afternoon trying to teach Jessica how to hit a softball. She managed to hit it twice before they both got frustrated and decided to throw in the towel.

"Are you hungry?" Clark asked her about 4:30.

"I could eat. I mean, as long as you're not cooking or anything."

"Relax," Clark said with a smile. "Mom left money for pizza. I'll call it in. What kind do you want?"

"Pepperoni," Jessie said quickly.

"One large half pepperoni, half everything it is," he said and went inside to make the call.

An hour later a car pulled up and Jessie went outside, assuming it was the pizza delivery. Instead, she found Lana getting out of her car.

"Hi, Jessie. How are you?" she asked with a smile.

Jessie smiled back. She liked Lana. She wondered if she would ever grow up to be as well put together as she was.

"I'm fine. Are you looking for Clark?"

"Yes, actually, I am. I was hoping he could help decipher some of this math before the test on Monday. Is he home?"

"He's inside. Uncle Jonathan and Aunt Martha went to Metropolis for their anniversary. We're waiting for the pizza guy."

"That sounds yummy. I promise not to keep him too long."

Lana went inside and found Clark in the kitchen.

"Lana. Come in."

"Hi, Clark. I came by to see if maybe you could help me study for our math test, but it sounds like you and Jessie already have plans."

Clark stood up. "No, not really. We're just ordering some pizza and hanging out. Would you like to stay?"

"Well, I don't want to intrude…"

"You wouldn't be. Really. Besides, I need to study for that test myself. Stay," he coaxed.

"Why don't you at least ask Jessie if she minds," Lana suggested.

Clark smiled. "Okay, I'll be right back."

Jessie was sitting on the fence waiting for the pizza when Clark found her.

"Hey, Jess. Is it okay with you if Lana stays for dinner?"

"I thought we were going to watch a movie," Jessie reminded him.

"I know, but she needs me to help her with some school stuff. You could still watch the movie. In fact, you can watch all the TV you want. What do you say?"

Jessie looked skeptical. "Uncle Jonathan said we weren't allowed to have anyone over."

"He didn't mean Lana. He wouldn't mind me helping her, especially with something for school."

"He said nobody."

"He only said that because last year when they went away on their anniversary I kind of had a party."

"Shut up! You?" Jessie was shocked.

"Well, it was supposed to be just a few friends but then it just got way out of hand."

"Well, if you get to have Lana, then I get to have Claudia."

Clark shook his head. "No."

"That's the deal. Take it or leave it."

"Fine. I'll leave it. Lana's staying. Deal with that."

Jessie jumped down from the fence. "She won't stay if I ask her not to. She's too nice."

That was true and Clark knew it. "Fine. Go get Claudia. I'll order some more pizza."

"She likes sausage," Claudia called as she ran down the driveway.

After everyone had finished eating, Clark and Lana cleared the dishes and then settled in at the dining room table to study.

Jessie and Claudia had started watching their movie in the living room and the noise was quite distracting.

"Hey, Jess. Would you guys mind watching in your room? It's kind of loud," Clark asked nicely.

Claudia leaned over and said something to Jessie.

"Why don't you and Lana go study in your room," Jessie countered.

Not wanting to get into a conversation about why taking a girl to his bedroom wasn't such a good idea, Clark simply said, "Please?"

Jessie looked at Claudia and the two girls whispered together again.

"I don't want to. This TV's bigger," Jessie finally said.

"We could go to the loft," Clark suggested to Lana.

Lana looked unsure. "Are you sure it's okay to leave them in here alone?"

Clark started gathering books. "It's fine. Anybody who broke in here and tried to kidnap Jessie wouldn't keep her long because she's too mean," he said in Jessie's direction.

Jessie ignored him and Clark and Lana finished collecting their things and left.

After an hour or so, Jessie and Claudia became bored with the movie and Claudia said, "Let's go out to the barn and spy on Clark and Lana."

"Why? They're just studying. Who wants to spy on that?"

"Did you see that way he looks at her? He wants her baaad. What if they're out there doing it right now?"

Jessie hesitated. "Well…."

Claudia jumped up and ran to the door. "Come on."

Jessica followed her and they crept into the barn undetected. From underneath the steps they could hear Clark and Lana talking quietly.

"…ever be like this. Friends, just hanging out." It was Clark.

"I used to think you were the clumsiest person alive," Lana admitted. "Every time I saw you, you were tripping over something," she laughed.

Suddenly, Claudia sneezed. Clark came bounding down the steps.

"Jessie!" he called.

Knowing there was no escaping, Jessie answered, "Yeah?"

Clark spotted them under the steps. "Are you spying on us?" he accused.

Jessie became defensive. "We weren't spying. We were just sitting here."

"Why?"

"Because we felt like it, that's why," Jessie said childishly.

Clark was angry. "Look, you made a whole big thing about wanting to watch the living room TV, so why aren't you in there watching it?"

"I don't have to answer to you! Why don't you just go back up there and "study" with your girlfriend?"

Clark glanced up, hoping Lana hadn't heard. "She's not my girlfriend," he whispered fiercely.

Jessie smiled. "Yeah, but you wish she was."

"Get out! Now!"

Jessie crossed her arms. "We're bored. There's nothing to do," she complained.

"Look, Jessie. I don't care what you do. Just leave. I mean it."

Seeing that he did indeed, Jessie motioned for Claudia to follow her.

"Come on, Claudia. There's not going to be anything to see here tonight. Clark's too scared to make a move on Lana."

Clark took a menacing step towards Jessie, who ran out of the barn.

Lana was getting her things together when he got back to the loft.

"I should go. Jessie obviously needs your attention more than I do."

"Attention's not all Jessie needs," Clark said irritably. "Lana if you leave then her bratty behavior pays off. Please stay."

Lana was torn. She didn't want to upset Jessica, but she was really enjoying spending time with Clark.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Positive," he said, taking the books from her arms. "Where were we?"

Jessica and Claudia had made it as far as the porch when Claudia had an idea.

"Do your folks have a liquor cabinet?" she asked Jessie.

Jessie shrugged. "Not that I know of," she said honestly.

"Well, they must have some booze somewhere. Think."

Jessie thought. "In the dining room cabinet, I think," she said finally.

The girls went inside to look.

"Bingo!" Claudia said, pulling out two bottles, one scotch, one vodka.

"What do you want them for?" Jessie asked innocently.

"What do you think, stupid?"

Jessie looked around nervously. "What if we get caught?"

"Well I wasn't planning on drinking them here." She thought for a moment. " Let's go to the lake!" she suggested.

"I don't know. Clark would get really mad."

"Who cares? He's not the boss of you," Claudia said.

"Well, technically he is tonight," Jessie told her.

Claudia sighed and tried to be patient. "Look, as long as he has Lana up in that loft, he'll never even notice we're gone."

That was probably true. "Okay, let's do it," Jessie said and the two girls hurried out the back door.

About 11:30 Clark opened his eyes and found himself staring into his father's face. Jonathan was shaking his shoulders.

"Clark. Wake up," Jonathan said.

"Dad. What's wrong?" Clark asked.

Lana, who was asleep on the other end of the couch, began to stir.

"Son, where's Jessie?"

"In the house," Clark answered. "Claudia came over. I know you said not to have people over but Lana needed some help with trig and Jessie was bored…"

Martha sat down on the table in front of the couch. "Clark, your dad and I have looked all over the house and we can't find Jessie anywhere. Do you think maybe they went back to Claudia's?"

Clark got up, worried. "I don't know. Maybe."

Jonathan got right up in his face. "Well just exactly how long has it been since you checked on them?" he asked, his temper rising.

Clark backed off a bit. "I don't know. We were studying and I guess we must have fallen asleep. Dad, I'm sorry."

Martha started down the stairs. "I'll phone the Petersons and see if the girls are there."

Everyone else followed her back to the house and waited anxiously while she made the call. From her end of the conversation it was clear that the girls were not at Claudia's house, either.

Mr. and Mrs. Peterson were on their way over.

Jonathan turned to Clark. "Son, why don't you check with Lex. She went there once before."

Clark did but unfortunately Lex had not seen them. Jonathan went to the barn to get lanterns and flashlights and by the time the Petersons arrived they were ready to begin searching the farm. Martha took Clark aside and suggested that he try "listening".

As he did, Martha watched his face go from calm to alarm.

"They're at the lake. Jessie's screaming," he whispered to her. Making sure no one was watching, he took off in a blur.

Martha hurried over to the rest of the group. "Clark said Jessie mentioned something about the lake."

"Let's go," said Claudia's father.

Clark was at the lake in a matter of seconds. Jessie was standing on the dock screaming and looking into the water.

Clark rushed to her and took her by the shoulders. "Jessie, what's wrong?"

Jessica continued crying. "It's Claudia! She dove in but she didn't come up! I can't see her!"

Clark ran to the edge of the dock and used his x-ray vision to look around. Once he spotted her, he dove in and pulled her out. She wasn't breathing. He quickly started CPR and after several attempts he could feel a pulse and see that she was breathing, but just barely. She was still unconscious.

The Peterson's car arrived just then and Claudia's parents rushed to their child.

"Oh, my God!" Mrs. Peterson cried. "Is she alive?" she asked Clark.

Clark nodded. "I did CPR but I don't know how long she was under. You need to get her to the hospital."

Mr. Peterson scooped her up and carried her to the car. Mrs. Peterson got in the back and he laid Claudia in her lap. The sped away to the emergency room.

Jonathan called to Clark. "Your mother and I are going to the hospital. Can I trust you to stay with your cousin?"

Clark looked down, ashamed. "Yes, sir."

Martha and Jonathan got in their truck and left Lana, Jessica, and Clark to walk back to the house.

Lana decided it would be best for her to leave but made Clark promise to call her whenever there was news. He said he would.

The next few hours were tense. Clark and Jessica had changed into dry clothes and sat in the living room. For a long time neither spoke, then Jessie finally broke the silence.

"Do you think she's okay?"

"I hope so," he said quietly. "What happened out there, Jess?"

Jessie was too tired to even try to make anything up. "We swiped some alcohol and took it down to the lake. I thought it was pretty gross so I didn't really drink that much. But Claudia liked it. She liked it a lot. One second she was laughing and the next, she was in the lake. It just all happened so fast."

The ringing phone startled them both and Clark quickly snatched it up.

"Uh huh. Uh huh. I'm glad. Okay. Bye."

Jessie held her breath and waited as he hung up.

"She's okay. They're letting her come home."

Jessie flopped back against the back of her chair. "Thank you, God."

"Mom and Dad are on their way home," Clark told her and Jessie sat back up.

"How mad are they?" she asked him.

"You don't want to know," he told her.

Jessie looked miserable. "Clark, I am so sorry. All night you were being so nice. I don't know why I acted like such a brat."

"You know you mostly only act like that when Claudia's around," he said gently.

"I guess I was trying to show off. Now you're probably going to get in trouble and it's all my fault."

"I should have been keeping a better eye on you guys," he admitted.

"What do you think they'll do?" she asked him.

Just then headlights shone through the window.

"Looks like we're about to find out," he said.

Martha and Jonathan came through the kitchen door looking exhausted. They walked into the living room and sat down. Clark and Jessica waited nervously for them to speak.

"Claudia filled us in on most of what happened," Martha told them. "Jessica, why would you do such a thing?"

Jessica could only hang her head and shrug.

She turned to her son. "And Clark. How could you be so irresponsible?"

"I'm so sorry, Mom. If anything had happened to them I'd never be able to forgive myself."

Martha could see that he felt terrible but Jonathan was not so quick to let it drop.

"Why the hell weren't you watching them?" he asked loudly.

Jessie spoke up. "It was my fault," she said quietly.

"Go on," Jonathan prompted.

"Claudia and I kept pestering them, even after they went out to the loft," she explained. "They were just trying to study but we wouldn't leave them alone."

"I see," Jonathan said. "Well I am far too tired to deal with the two of you tonight. We'll talk about this more in the morning. Go to bed."

Grateful for the reprieve, Clark and Jessica went to their rooms. A little while later, Clark knocked on his parents' door.

"Come in," Martha called softly.

Clark stepped inside and leaned back on the door facing.

"What is it, Clark?" his mother asked him.

"Are you going to punish Jessie?" he asked his father.

"Don't you think she deserves it?" Jonathan asked in return.

"I guess so," Clark answered hesitantly. "It's just…"

"Just what, son?"

Clark looked at his father. "Do you remember when you said that Jessie would stop being friends with Claudia when she realized she was just going to keep getting her into trouble?"

"I remember."

"Well, I was thinking about it and…since she doesn't seem to care about Claudia getting her in trouble, maybe it would make more of an impression if what she and Claudia did got me in trouble."

"What are you suggesting, Clark?"

"I think that instead of punishing Jessie, you should punish me."

Jonathan and Martha exchanged surprised glances. Clark attempted to explain.

"See, if I got in big trouble because of what she and Claudia did. I think she might just feel so bad about it she wouldn't want to be friends with her anymore."

"Interesting idea," Jonathan said. "This wouldn't by any chance be your way of trying to get Jessie out of trouble, would it?"

"Dad, I really think this could work."

"Tell you what, son. Your mother and I will sleep on it. You'd better get to bed."

Clark closed the door behind him as he left.

Breakfast the next morning was unbearably quiet. Once everyone had finished and the table was cleared, Jonathan called everyone back to the dining room.

"Jessie, what you girls did last night was very dangerous. You were wrong on so many counts I've lost track."

He turned his attention to Clark. "Son, I am very disappointed in you. I thought we had raised you to be more responsible. I know Jessica can be difficult sometimes, but to completely ignore her because you were so wrapped up in whatever was going on up in that loft is inexcusable."

"Yes, sir."

Jonathan continued. "Since you were the one in charge here last night, I put most of the blame for what happened here on you."

Jessie watched this exchange unfold in horror. She jumped up and ran to her uncle.

"Please, Uncle Jonathan. Don't blame Clark! I told you it was all my fault!"

"And you will be held accountable for your part in this, Jessica. But right now I need to deal with your cousin. Now, go back to your seat."

Realizing it was useless, Jessica sat back down in her chair, crossed her arms on the table, and put her head down.

"You're grounded for two weeks, Son. No torch, no basketball with Pete, and no Talon. You go to school and you come back home. That's it."

"Yes, sir."

Jonathan then turned his attention to Jessica. "Jess, the same thing goes for you. And so you won't be bored, I'll have some extra chores for you both to do when you get home. Now, you two get dressed and get to school."

Walking down the driveway a few minutes later, Clark noticed that Jessica was unusually quiet.

"You okay, Squirt?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I'm sorry you got grounded."

He put his arm around her. "I'm sorry you got grounded, too. What about Claudia? You think she got grounded?"

Jessie rolled her eyes. "I think she probably got flowers."

Clark laughed.

Jessie suddenly stopped walking and looked at him. "Have you noticed that she's the one who's always getting me in trouble and I'm the one who's always getting punished?"

Clark rested his hand on top of her head and smiled broadly. "By George, I think she's got it!"


End file.
